Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam for skin with dark spots
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Salicylic Acid
Sodium Hyaluronate
GlycerinAverage
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- This cleanser offers excellent pore cleansing for your normal skin due to salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, which effectively remove impurities and excess oil. Glycerin and multiple forms of sodium hyaluronate provide essential hydration, supporting overall skin health.
- While it addresses cleansing and hydration well, the formula does not directly target your primary concern of pigmentation, as key brightening ingredients are absent.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, featuring soothing Houttuynia Cordata Extract and Tocopherol, with no harsh or prohibited ingredients.
How to apply
- You can use this cleanser AM and PM every single day. Start slowly 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this cleanser as the first step in your morning routine or the second step in your evening routine. Follow it with toner and moisturizer.
- Massage a small amount of cleanser gently onto your face using circular motions. Rinse well with lukewarm water and pat dry.
- For the best results, apply your cleanser directly to wet skin to help wash away dirt. Make sure your face is clean before you begin.
- Avoid getting the cleanser in your eyes. Always do a quick patch test before using the product for the very first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 3.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is highly recommended by users with oily and acne-prone skin for its exceptional ability to deeply cleanse pores, effectively remove sebaceous filaments, and control oiliness, leaving the skin feeling thoroughly clean. However, a significant number of users with dry or sensitive skin report that it can be overly drying and stripping, potentially causing tightness, irritation, or compromising the skin's natural moisture barrier.
Highlights
Deep pore cleansing Mostly Mentioned
- “cleared the large pores”
- “eliminated blackheads on nose”
- “removes sebaceous filaments”
- “skin feels squeaky clean”
Rich creamy lather Often Mentioned
- “lathers quickly”
- “dense and creamy”
- “soft and rich bubbles”
- “a little goes a long way”
Drying and stripping Often Mentioned
- “leaves my skin tight”
- “too drying for dry skin”
- “stripped my moisture barrier”
- “felt squeaky but dry”
Acne & oil control Sometimes Noted
- “helped clear acne on chin”
- “reduced oil on my face”
- “calming down acne”
- “less congestion”
Gentle exfoliation Sometimes Noted
- “grainy formula exfoliates”
- “heartleaf powder to remove dead skin”
- “skin feels smooth after”
Breakouts or purging Sometimes Noted
- “caused peeling and irritation”
- “broke me out with small pustules”
- “awful purging”
- “whiteheads popped up”
Skin irritation Rarely Noted
- “stung immediately”
- “face was red and warm”
- “irritated my skin like crazy”
- “caused peeling around nose”
Strong scent Rarely Noted
- “smell is too much”
- “strong minty/eucalyptus scent”
- “smelled like cardboard”
Sources: lovi.care, oliveyoung.com, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, stylevana.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam work for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser works well for washing your skin, but it does not target dark spots because it lacks brightening ingredients. Cleansers of this type need high-quality brightening ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides, alongside gentle cleansing and hydrating components, to properly care for skin with dark spots.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser does not contain brightening ingredients to target dark spots, so it is only an average fit for this concern. A cleanser for dark spots needs brightening ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides along with safe, gentle cleansing properties.
What does Houttuynia Cordata Extract do for skin with dark spots?
Houttuynia cordata extract helps calm angry skin and protects against damage from the sun that can lead to dark spots. It reduces swelling and oxidative stress to keep your complexion clear and even.
What does Salicylic Acid do for skin with dark spots?
Salicylic acid helps fade dark spots and uneven skin tone left behind after breakouts. It gently clears away surface buildup, which may improve the look of dark marks and support a smoother, more even complexion over time.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser goes as the first step in your morning routine and the second step in your evening routine after removing makeup. For skin with dark spots, this type of product also needs brightening ingredients to help fade discoloration.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser with retinol, applying the cleanser first to clean your skin and following with your retinol after your skin is dry. Because this cleanser does not target dark spots, skin with dark spots needs a cleanser that includes ingredients like vitamin C or niacinamide to help fade discoloration.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily as part of your morning and evening routine to help clear away oil and impurities while keeping your skin soft. A cleanser for this skin needs targeted brightening ingredients and dark-spot treatments to actively fade hyperpigmentation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This cleanser may cause breakouts or purging for some users. To better fit skin with dark spots, a product of this type needs targeted brightening ingredients that help fade dark spots while keeping the skin calm and clear.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
This cleanser is safe to use on the body, but it is unlikely to suit the thin skin around the eyes.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A hyperoside-enriched fraction of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. inhibited UVB-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen degradation in human dermal fibroblasts by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway.
Plants, 2021Houttuynia cordata extract containing hyperoside and quercitrin protected human HaCaT keratinocytes from UVB-induced cell damage, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation by modulating MAPKs and Akt signaling pathways.
Antioxidants, 2022Quercetin phospholipids 1% cream significantly reduced UV-, histamine-, and chemical-induced skin erythema (-10.05%) and mean wheal diameter in 30 healthy human volunteers, showing comparable efficacy to 1% dexchlorpheniramine cream.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2016Quercetin-loaded niosomes formulated with Span60-RH40 at a 9:11 mass ratio improved quercetin solubility, photostability, sustained release, and transdermal penetration, yielding a skin retention 2.95 times higher than quercetin solution.
Molecules, 2019Optimized rutin-loaded glycerosomes formulated into a nanosunscreen gel demonstrated sustained drug release, greater skin permeation, good antioxidant activity, and better epidermal retention compared to the dermis, indicating high safety, stability, and sun protection factor values for topical administration.
Gels, 2023Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Why other cleansers fit skin with dark spots better
Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002
Ingredients
Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Water, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salicylic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydroxypropyl Phosphate Starch, Potassium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-67, Houttuynia Cordata Powder, Quercetin, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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